Rojava administration removes customs, taxes with Syria

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdish-led administration in northeast Syria (Rojava) on Wednesday said it removed customs and taxes with other parts of Syria in a bid to “preserve the unity of Syrian lands” following the collapse of the Baathist regime.

The Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES), which governs Rojava, announced its decision to “cancel customs duties, fees, and other taxes between the areas of the Autonomous Administration and other Syrian areas.”

The decision was on the Kurdish-led authority’s “keenness to preserve the unity of Syrian lands and in line with the changes that occurred in Syria, represented by the fall of the tyrannical regime,” adding that the procedures were followed due to “exceptional security circumstances” during the Syrian civil war.

The statement comes amid historic changes in Syria as a coalition of militia groups, led by the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), ousted Assad on December 8.

The collapse of the regime marked a new start in Syria’s history. The HTS-led groups established a transitional government led by caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir who has promised a future Syrian state that guarantees the rights of all its citizens.

The Rojava authority reached out to the new administration in Damascus following the collapse of Assad’s regime in an effort to reach an agreement on the future of Syria. 

Last week, DAANES announced that it will raise the Syria “independence” flag across Rojava institutions.

The new Syrian flag, featuring three red stars and the colors green, white, and black, has yet to be officially recognized as the country is going through a transitional period.

The HTS-led forces have so far not clashed with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) - the de-facto army of Rojava.